South African government disburses R498 million in reparations to apartheid victims

Extensive work has been done by the government to implement the TRC recommendations, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister said.

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has announced that R498 million in reparations have been paid to 21 000 victims of apartheid in an effort to implement recommendations by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

This comes after regulations for the payment of the one-off reparation grants to 30,000 victims of apartheid were published in 2003 and 21,676 people were identified as victims.

“As at 20 August 2026, 17,560 of the 21,676 victims applied for the once-off grant and were paid the R30,000 grant and this amounts to R490 million that has been paid,” she said.

Kubayi made the statement during a question-and-answer session in the National Council of Provinces when she was responding to ANC MP Jane Mananiso, who asked about progress made to implement the recommendations of the TRC.